Perth, Australia, Feb 17, 2006 / 12:00 am (CNA).- The Catholic Church in Australia needs to be more engaged in dialogue with the wider society and be more open to the media, said Archbishop Barry Hickey of Perth in a pastoral letter, issued on behalf of the country’s Catholic bishops.

"It's a new realization of the need to engage with the world," he said. "We've communicated through priests, our schools, hospitals and social welfare. But now we need to communicate through the world's media, believing we have something important to say."

The letter said Australians spent an average of 51 hours a week consuming media, such as television and the Internet.

"The Catholic Church must be part of this marketplace of ideas and regally accept opportunities to be quoted, seen or heard upon matters of consequence," the letter said.